Ukraine official promises stability

KIEV, Ukraine, July 7 (UPI) -- Ukraine's newly elected parliamentary speaker is promising to bring back political stability.

The country has been in a political crisis since the inconclusive parliamentary elections March 26 in which no party gained a majority. Oleksandr Moroz, who heads the Socialist Party, was elected speaker of the 450-member parliament Thursday with support from two opposition parties.

"We must ease tensions and the artificial divisions in Ukrainian

society," Moroz told reporters, the Novosti news agency said.

Moroz won even though the coalition government had decided to support another candidate.

Moroz said a conciliatory council of parliament would soon meet for an understanding between the opposition and the so-called "orange" coalition of President Viktor Yushchenko.

But one parliament member was quoted as saying the election of Moroz would mean the collapse of the pro-West coalition, Novosti said.

Ukraine is faced with a number of issues, including its future foreign policy, with some supporting integration with neighboring Russia and others leaning toward Europe and the NATO.